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Manchester United’s new stadium project could impact the club’s competitiveness in the transfer market, with executive director Omar Berrada warning of potential financial constraints.
Manchester United is facing one of its worst Premier League seasons in decades, with no significant improvement since the arrival of Ruben Amorim as head coach. With the Europa League as their only hope for silverware, the club is now shifting focus to infrastructure, officially confirming its plans to build a new stadium.
Stadium project to impact transfer spending
Despite United’s on-field struggles, the club has committed to a €2 billion investment in constructing one of the world’s most modern stadiums, with a planned capacity of 100,000 seats. However, executive director Omar Berrada has admitted that the financial commitment could affect the club’s competitiveness in the transfer market for several seasons.
"It’s going to be risky. The cost of construction could impact our competitiveness for a few years. Arsenal and Tottenham had to manage finances carefully when building their new stadiums, and we could face a similar situation as we aim to build a world-class team," Berrada stated.
Economic benefits vs. on-pitch performance
The project is expected to boost the UK economy, creating 92,000 jobs and over 17,000 new homes, with a potential revenue impact of around €9 billion annually. However, balancing financial priorities between stadium construction and squad investment remains a challenge.
"We don’t want this to disrupt our ability to invest in the squad and remain competitive while building the stadium. We’re exploring different ways to address this, including shortening the construction timeline to complete the stadium within five years," Berrada explained.
Hope for stability under Amorim
Berrada also emphasized United’s global fan base as a key advantage, ensuring strong revenue generation despite short-term financial constraints. He remains optimistic about Ruben Amorim’s role in shaping the team’s future.
"We would love to open the new stadium with Ruben as our head coach," he said, reinforcing the club’s long-term faith in the Portuguese manager, who has a contract until June 2027, with an option for an additional year.
As United navigates this critical phase, balancing stadium ambitions with squad competitiveness will be essential to avoiding a further decline in results.